Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dark, gripping, time-shifting psychological thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In NEVERWORLD WAKE, Beatrice Hartley is in search of the truth about her boyfriend Jim's death, and it's a terrifying trip to that truth. A year after graduating from a tony New England prep school, she and four estranged high school friends reunite at Wincroft, an isolated mansion on the Rhode Island coast. There's Whitley, whose family owns Wincroft; Cannon, a techie; Kip, who's gay; and Martha, who's on scholarship at MIT. After a night of partying and drinking, they return to Wincroft and a knock on the front door. A man who calls himself the Keeper announces, "You're all dead." Only to amend that to "nearly dead." He then tells them that they are now in limbo, trapped in a Neverworld where they will repeat the same day over and over until they take a unanimous vote that will allow only one person to live. While they'll be able to leave Wincroft (they travel as far as Greece), they must return within a specific period of time and that time gets shorter and shorter as the days pass. Shattering secrets are revealed and some of the friends turn to violence as they desperately try to find a way out of the Neverworld and unlock the mystery behind Jim's death.
Is It Any Good?
This "what just happened? I never saw that coming" psychological thriller is filled with moral dilemmas and enough twists and turns to captive almost any reader. While Neverworld Wake has a cast of emotionally flawed characters whose actions may be disturbing to some readers, these same characters and their actions can also open the door to serious conversations between parents and teens. How does drinking effect your ability to make good decisions? Is violence ever justified? What kind of secrets should never be kept? The novel has a complex plotline, so it may not be the best choice for those looking for a casual easy read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the part drinking plays in Neverworld Wake. Do you think the characters would have made different choices if they hadn't been drinking? How do you think the story would have unfolded if drinking had not been involved?
Is there a day in your life you would like to live over again? What would you do differently?
A number of violent acts are committed by the friends. Do you think they acted out of desperation? Is desperation ever any excuse for violence?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Delacorte Press
- Publication date : June 5, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
- Number of pages : 327
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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